Hand and foot-operated door opening devices are known in the art. Foot-operated door opening devices that do not use a person's hand or arm (as opposed to conventional door knobs or handles) have existed in the art for over one-hundred (100) years. Early models involved simple hook screws mounted to the bottom of a screen door, enabling a user to pull the door open with the user's foot. Furthermore, early models were designed for use with a light screen door. Typically, the user would place his toe under the device to pull open the door.
More recent models are similar in design and function with a similar downward shaped hook or downward angled piece of material, but their sturdier design characteristics enable the opening of heavier doors. Foot-operated door openers provide sanitary benefits by enabling a user to open a door without hand contact with potentially germ and bacteria-contaminated door handles, particularly in public restrooms and other public spaces.
Previous attempts at foot-operated door openers included devices with shapes that would promote entanglement with shoe laces or clothing material like pant legs and cuffs due to the sharp downward angle of the hook for the toe to engage under or could trap a user's foot if the door was opened from the other side while the user was attempting to use the device.
Despite the efforts of the prior art, a need still exists for a sanitary foot-operated door opener with a design that enables the user to use not just the toe of his shoe to pull open a door, but also enables the user to use the bottom of his foot or shoe sole to push down on the sanitary foot-operated door opener in order to open a door. This is specifically necessary when an open-toe shoe or sandal or a delicate or ornamental shoe is worn in order to prevent damage to the shoe or injury to the toes.
Additionally, such an opener is desirable for persons with physical limitations that may not easily be able to pull upward with their toes due to medical-related foot or leg or lower body injuries. Furthermore, using one's toe when wearing an open-toe shoe or sandal would negate the sanitary aspect of the foot-operated door opener if one could not use the sole of his shoe instead.
There is, therefore, a long-standing yet unmet need for improved foot-operated door openers that overcome the deficiencies in the prior art.